Amarantaceae. 



Leaves ovate or obovate-oblong 6 to 30 cm long, 4 to 12 cm wide, on petioles of 

 2 to 8 cm rounded at both ends, slightly decurrent into the petiole, fleshy, thick or char- 

 taceous when fresh, glabrous, dark green, with impressed straight parallel veins; panicles 

 compound, red, often 40 to 50 cm long, but smaller in the specimens from dry districts, on 

 peduncles of sometimes more than 12 cm; flowers 2 mm, thin rather pale; bracts about 1 

 mm, ovate; sepals ovate, stamens about as long as the sepals; utriculus 2 to 3 mm, 

 enclosed or partly exserted; stigmas deeply bifid exserted. 



This is a tree of 15 to 35 feet in height, and reaches its best development in 

 the dry regions. It is a very variable species, and was, as a matter of fact, de- 

 scribed by Gaudichaud as two different species, mainly on the shape of the leaf. 



The Papala occurs on all the islands of the group in the rain as well as the dry 

 forests. It is not uncommon in Manoa and Pauoa valleys, Oahu, as well as in 

 the whole Koolau range, where it grows in densely shaded ravines and on moun- 

 tain slopes. On Kauai it is plentiful at lianalei and neighborhood. We find it 

 again in all the valleys of the Kohala mountains, but not higher than about 4000 

 feet. The biggest and finest specimens of this tree the writer observed in North 

 Kona, Hawaii, at Puuwaawaa, where the trunks reached a diameter of two and 

 a half feet, being perfectly straight and clothed in a very smooth, light brown, thin 

 bark. The trunk, in its lower portion, usually divides into several column-like 

 parts, in the form of buttresses. "When in full bloom it is a rather attractive 

 looking tree. The wood is very soft and fibrous, and when dry exceedingly light, 

 and will burn like paper. It is the very tree which was used by the natives for a 

 most original and grand display of fireworks, owing to the easiness with which 

 the wood can be ignited. Mrs. Sinclair in her beautiful book on the "Indigenous 

 Flowers of the Hawaiian Islands," says the following in regard to this sport: 

 "On the northwest side of Kauai the coast is extremely precipitous, the cliffs 

 rising abruptly from the sea to a height of from one to two thousand feet, and 

 from these giddy heights the ingenious and beautiful pyrotechnic displays take 

 place. "' 



' ' On dark moonless nights upon certain points of these awful precipices, where 

 a stone would drop sheer into the sea, the operator takes his stand with a supply of 

 papala sticks, and, lighting one, launches it into space. The buoyancy of the wood 

 causes it to float in mid-air, rising or falling according to the force of the wind, 

 sometimes darting far seaward, and again drifting towards the land. Firebrand 

 follows firebrand, until, to the spectators (who enjoy the scene in canoes upon the 

 ocean hundreds of feet below), the heavens appear ablaze with great shooting 

 stars, rising and falling, crossing and recrossing each other, in the most weird 

 manner. So the display continues until the firebrands are consumed, or a lull in 

 the wind permits them to descend slowly and gracefully to the sea. ' ' 



On the Island of Kauai in the forest of Kaholuamano occurs another species of 

 this genus — Ch. elliptica (Hbd.) Heller. It is certainly quite distinct from Ch. 

 obovata in the long elliptical-lanceolate leaves, and very short inflorescence which 

 is almost erect and not drooping. Hillebrand mentions it as a variety elliptica. 



NOTOTRICHIUM Hbd. 



Flowers hermaphrodite, small conical, hispid villous or pubescent. Perianth deeply 

 4 parted, the lobes equal, an outer pair enclosing the inner one. Stamens slightly eon- 



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